


( ˘ ³˘)♥︎ Valentine’s Day Frerard

by Leonie (Babie_Babie)



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: AU, Fluff, Frerard, M/M, MCR, Oneshot, Valentine's Day, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:47:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29358216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babie_Babie/pseuds/Leonie
Summary: I'm a lonesome sack of shit so I wrote a long ass Frerard oneshot since I'm craving human affection.Frank had a hopeless crush on a coffee boy a bit older than him when he was a child. He goes back there to find the teenager now running the shop and they kick off where they left things 14 years ago.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	( ˘ ³˘)♥︎ Valentine’s Day Frerard

_**tw: slight mentions of secondry poverty** _

BleachedSides!Revenge!Frank

ProRev!Gerard

"Hello!" Frank cheered, his eyes merely peering over the coffee counter, looking up at Gerard, the smiling coffee boy. "Gerard! Hi!"

"Huh?" The teenager perked up, looking around before his eyes set on the little boy, smiling endearingly. "Hi, Frank." Gerard cooed, leaned down across the counter as his coffee maker friend snickered behind him.

Not that Frank cared, though, if he got attention from Gerard, then nothing mattered.

"You... you look very beautiful today." He smiled, sliding a bouquet of handpicked flowers across the counter, leaving trailing petals and skids of dirt along the worktop. "I made one of your favourite colours... the ones you were talking about a while ago. White, pink, red and purple."

"Thank you! Happy Valentine's Day, Frankie." He said excitedly, the same way someone would talk to their dog, as he caressed the flowers before putting them in a mug of water for later. "Say— since you're always such a little gentleman, how about I get you a drink of anything you want, on me. If your mom's okay with it." Gerard said, nodding over to where Frank's mum sat, reading her newspaper while her son ran his usual business of flirting with the coffee boy.

"Awesome! Lemme go tell her." He hurried out as he trotted along the floor to ask his mum about the offer of juice.

Naturally, she said yes and Frank sprinted back over, seeing Gerard's friend whispering to him again.

"That kid is obsessed with you, man. Stop leading him on n' tell him to scram." He laughed, talking low enough to think the little boy couldn't hear. 

Frank didn't really mind the comments deep down, though. He knew Gerard always defended him and if he meant something Gerard, nothing else mattered.

If you hadn’t guessed already, nothing really mattered to Frank all that much if it meant he had Gerard around. 

"Hey!" The tall boy snapped, getting defensive has he hit his friend's shoulder. "Frank is the soul saviour of love in this day and age. I'd rather stick my tongue in a toaster than tamper how romantic he is." Frank watched him run a hand through his long, black hair, keeping the side fringe out of his eyes. "You're just jealous cus you can't get laid- _hi Frank!_ " Gerard yelped, meeting eyes with the young boy who was oblivious to his grown-up comments. He laughed nervously and cleared his throat, "What did your mom say?"

"She said I can have whatever I want so... can I get the iced cranberry tea?" Frank asked excitedly, his short, eight year old legs jumping up to see the full menu of drinks.

"Sure thing, Frankie."He confirmed, "go sit with your mom n' I'll bring it over. Do you wanna sit with me at my break?"

"Like a date?" Frank gasped, feeling the palms of his hands begin to sweat and his face grew into an uncontrollably bashful smile.

"Since it's Valentine's Day." Gerard reasoned with a shrug and a playful wink. "Now go sit with your mom and I'll be over in 5." With that, the teenager dismissed the boy with a wave of his pale, gentle-looking hand.

Thankfully, Frank done as he was told and practically skipped back to his seat once again, nervously swinging his legs as he attentively watched the older boy.

Gerard was swirling a clear cup of red juice with one hand, the other placed characteristically on his thick hip that was cocked out slightly, laughing painfully hard. He laughed until his full cheeks were as pink as his constantly flushed lips, until his shoulder-length hair was a shaggy mess on the top of his head, until his watercolour-hazel eyes were crinkled to the point his large, emotive orbs had disappeared. The laugh wasgenuine and high pitched, considering Frank could hear the struggle to repress it with how much choking and coughing Gerard was doing.

He was so lost in his childish fantasy of admiring Gerard that he hadn't noticed the boy had walked over.

"Hiya, Linda." The coffee boy piped up, smiling towards Frank's mum, who returned the gesture.

"Hi, Gerard, having fun with the babysitting?" She joked, nodding her head of permed her to her little boy, who was still too busy gawking at his teenage crush to care.

"Babysitting? Nah, we’re going on a coffee date, aren't we?" Gerard said, gesturing to the drinks in his hand and affectionately nudging Frank's head of brown hair with his elbow.

"Yeah!" Frank cheered, nudging him back excitedly.

"Of course you are. Just remember no hand holding before marriage." Linda joked, sipping at her coffee as she returned to her magazine once again.

"We will, mom."He dismissed, shoving Gerard by the back of his thighs towards their 'reserved' seats.

They chose a seat near the radio and looked to each other with cheery eyes.

"So, how's Valentine's treating you, Frankie?" Gerard piped up, smiling into his drink, which smelled like a warm, sweet cappuccino.

"It wasn't too good, but it's better now that you're here with me." The boy said, taking a drink out of his cranberry tea, appreciating the extra love Gerard put into it, considering how sweet and cool it was and the swirls of red in the tea were so intricately placed.

"What's made it so sucky, sweetheart?" He asked, leaning on his pale arm that was on the cold, hardwood table,

"I'm moving away n' I'm not gonna get to come back here after today. Remember?" Frank muttered, feeling all his giddiness for Gerard subside for a moment, having it replaced with the looming dread of having to say goodbye.

"Yeah... your mom was telling me about it a while ago. But hey, you can come back n' visit me at anytime." The teenager comforted, reaching his big, soft hand to hold Frank's small chubby one, that began trembling at the skin-to-skin contact.

"I-it's just... mom probably wouldn't drive me hear and I just-“

"Frankie! Come get your coat on!" Linda called out with a hesitant smile, knowing her son wasn't going to take the goodbye well.

" _Mom_... but-" the small child whimpered, his big brown-dominated, hazel eyes darting between Gerard and his mum desperately.

"Your moving vans are gonna be at the house soon and we have the house keys. We need to get there before they do. I know you'd like to stay a little longer but I'm sorry, honey." She reasoned, her own eyes saddening at having to tear the little boy away.

Frank being a well-mannered boy, did as his mum said with much disdain, his eyes seeing never leaving the teenager in front of him, who looked on solemnly, like he was genuinely sad to see Frank go.

"So, I guess this is where I say goodbye, little man." Gerard joked halfheartedly, not seeming too pleased to have the conversation. He quickly got down on his knees as he watched Frank's lip begin to quiver. He ran straight into Gerard's arms and buried his small head into the teen's neck as his arms coiled over Frank's whole body comfortingly. "Hey, I'm not worth _that_ many tears, sweetheart. Don't break your heart over me... you're gonna grow up and fall crazy in love for someone closer to your age."

"But I want _you_. I've always wanted you." He sniffled, trying to still his tears to talk to the black haired boy coherently.

"I know, cutie, I know... but I'm sure you're gonna fall madly in love with someone one day and you'll forget all about me." He muttered, rubbing Frank's back vigorously as he hiccuped and whimpered, the tears soaking through the back of his uniform.

"How would I forget you?"

"Cus you'll be so in love you won't even think about me anymore... you won't want anyone other than your partner then. And they'll feel the same for you." Gerard explained, nudging his head against Frank's, feeling his shortish strands dark brown hair tickle his ear.

"You're sure?" Frank replied hesitantly— he liked the idea of being in reciprocated love, but he hated the idea of it being with anyone other than Gerard.

"Absolutely. If you treat someone the way you treat me, I'm sure they'll love you forever." He confirmed in nearly a whisper,

"Gee! We need you over here, it's like five minutes over your break!" A voice called from the cashier, seeming unamused.

And upon looking up, Frank noted that it was Gerard's friend who had been joking about him earlier. It made a mixture of momentary anger bubble in his chest before it fizzled into his sadness.

"Shut up, Bert. I'll be over in a minute." Gerard scolded, holding Frank just a little tighter for a moment, almost like a defensive child over their favourite teddy bear.

"...Promise me you won't fall in love with Bert after I leave?"

"I promise you a million times that I'd never get with Bert." The teenager laughed softly, "and I'll take your flowers home and put them in my grandma's vase. They're so gorgeous-"

"Gerard! Mr Hollard is gonna some back any minute!"

" _Fine!_ I'm coming!" Gerard groaned, pulling back from Frank slightly, who didn't like the cold distance between them. "Look... I'm so sorry, but I have to run. But never stop loving the way you do, sweetheart. It's so beautiful." He sighed, letting Frank yank him in for one last hug.

"Can... can I kiss you goodbye? Like in the movies?" The brown haired boy gushed, wanting to do one last romantic gesture for Gerard, to remember him by.

"On the cheek." He giggled, turning his pale cheek to face the little boy with a childishly scrunched up expression.

Frank swooped in and smacked his thin lips right against Gerard's face, making a _'mwah'_ sound and feeling his own pale-olive skin heat up instantly.

Unable to deal with the adrenaline that pumped through his little body, he pushed Gerard away and hurried out the door in front of his mum, who was laughing harder than ever before. Yet, when he finally had the courage to turn round and wave that last time, Gerard was already behind the counter, oblivious to Frank's goodbye.

That should've been a sign enough that their story wasn't finished.

♡'･ᴗ･'♡ ♡'･ᴗ･'♡ ♡'･ᴗ･'♡

So, there Frank was, sauntering down memory lane. On Valentine's Day. _Alone_.

At 22, Frank had expected to either be crazily in love with someone, or doing something fun with friends. Yet, they were all in relationships, although incredibly unromantic... while he was the most hopelessly romantic single to have ever existed.

Was it his hair? Was it his tattoos? Was it his use of eyeliner? He knew black faux-hawks with bleached white sides, large pumpkin back tattoos and excessive guy-liner were not everyone's preferences in a partner... but it was certainly _someone's_. He just hadn't found who yet.

" _Holy shit._ " Frank muttered to himself as he stood across the street from a detracted little cottage, knowing it was the coffee shop. 

The one he went to when he was madly in love with an employee, who was around 9 years older than him. He really was an embarrassing, annoying little shit when Frank looked back on his 8 year old self, but Gerard had always been so patient and lovely with him. He remembered that one cranberry tea that he thought was made with love. He was pretty sure that was just the simply recipe with added sugar... but now he was tempted to test his theory out. 

It was still a coffee shop, after all. He could do what he liked, go as he pleased. 

And so, Frank sauntered across the street and pushed open the sleek glass doors, revealing a mountain of memories.

The interior was practically the exact same, with the low ceilings with pretty wooden beams contrasting the fresh white stone. The only real difference was the furniture was pale red and white leather rather than beige and brown woods. It was really nice, though, it gave a 'cottage-core in the 80s' vibe and honestly, Frank loved it.He was sure as hell that Gerard would've loved it, too.

Without a second thought, he dashed to the front counter, deciding on getting both a black coffee and a cranberry iced tea... simply because he wasn't sure if his adulterated tastebuds would handle all the sugary sweetness. It just wasn't his thing anymore.

"Hey uh... can I get just a black coffee, one sugar, thanks and a cranberry iced tea? If it's still on the menu, that is." He mumbled searching his pockets for his change, which had fallen through a hole in the seems.

"Yeah it's on— you an old timer?" The cashier asked in a mumble, sounding very stressed as their hands worked furiously to do four things at once, but tried to be friendly nonetheless... which was appreciated enough. He got it could be tough on people during busy shifts and with short-staffing.

"More or less." He sighed back, not really wanting to get into it. Rummaging through his coat until he looked up with a nervous smile. "Shit- just give me a minute, I'm so sorry for the holdup my money as disappeared inside my jacket I-" Frank began to ramble, but stopped in his tracks and let his tattooed arms freeze up in shock as his eyes landed on the cashier's face. "Oh my _God_."

"What? Do I have a massive spill on me? Is there a spider in my hair? ... _Not again!_ " The (slightly frightened) coffee maker sighed, clearly trying not to cause a scene as he fidgeted and shook his hair.

Frank noted how familiar his eyes were, how the watercolored browns and greens swirled intricately, leaving Frank to try and cough his tongue back into place and _talk_.

"No, no... there's nothing wrong it's just... Gerard?" Frank spluttered quietly, "it's... it's me, it's Frank."

"Like— as in _Frankie?_ " Gerard asked back, showing nothing but disbelief on his pretty features. "Frankie! Oh my God, you're so grown up now." He gasped, reaching his hand out over the counter to touch Frank's gently, as if to make sure he was real.

"That's what happens when you go from 8 to 22." The tattooed man giggled to himself, taking his hand back anxiously, feeling his childish emotions bubble to the surface, stuffing his hands back into his pockets with an excited smile.

"You've gotten sarky in your old age."

"And you're the exact same, just less fond of me."

"I'm pretty different, _actually_ , and you're not exactly a cute little kid who brings me flowers anymore-"

"Gerard! Patrick broke the dishwasher again!" A young voice squeaked from behind a wall, interrupting the pair's playful banter over the worktop.

"Shit." Gerard muttered under his breath. "Let me go deal with them and I'll talk to you in a bit. Take a seat and I won't be long." He dismissed tensely, clearly getting worked up with the amount of things he had to do.

"But I haven't paid?" Frank said in an unsure tone, still failing to get the change from inside his jacket.

"You paid in advance with all the little gifts you gave me. Now sit down and drink your weird combination of warm and cold." Gerard laughed dryly, staring apprehensively at the till as he walked away, leaving it unaccompanied.

"Want me to watch the till for a minute?" Frank then offered, watching Gerard's look like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"If it's not too much of an issue... I'll be back in literally a minute, sweetheart- _I mean Frank_. Sorry. Forgot you’re not 8 for a sec." He smiled awkwardly, going round a corner while Frank didn't even need to move from his spot. All was silent as he sipped at his black coffee until a whirring sound was heard and was followed by a large groan. "I told you that the door had to be shut. Like... until you hear the click and the green light goes on. Then it'll work. Do I need to leave little reminders round this place like a preschool? _Please_ remember that next time." Gerard said loudly, clearly sounding frustrated.

He quickly came shuffling out with his black dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves, he also noted that his hair tied back in a messy bun with parts of his floppy fringe tucked behind his ears cutely. He wasn't sure if it was there before or not, since he wasn't paying full attention to Gerard's hair, but it was very nice on him.

"Having fun?" Frank remarked, "you put your hair up n' stuff so that's gotta symbolise something."

"Huh? Yeah! It does have a meaning, actually. Everyone around hear judges my emotions on how I do my hair. Bun means I'm stressed, high ponytail means I'm angry and all the others mean I'm indifferent. Since everyone has come to terms with the fact I have no emotional communication." Gerard explained with red cheeks, twirling his little black strange of hair that fell in his face, emphasising that the joke was more real than not.

"Why indifferent? Why not happy?" The shorter man questioned, tilting his head slightly and letting his own black fringe droop on his face.

"Well, when you own a joint in a shitty town like this, nothing seems all that fun." Gerard huffed under his breath, his soft voice sounding a little torn and unamused as he twiddled with the keys on the till. Yet much to Frank's surprise, he bounced back up with a cocky smile, "Well? Go sit and I'll talk to you in a bit. I close up at six... you got anywhere to be, Frankie? I’m free for an hour or so."

"Nope. Is than an invitation to stay back and get more free drinks?" Frank proposed, trying his best to hide his excitement.

"You know me too well. If you're mature enough to sit on your own without pestering me. Prove to me you’re finally a grown up." The pale man teased, calling out to Frank who began walking away with two cups in his hands.

"Can't make any promises."

♡'･ᴗ･'♡ ♡'･ᴗ･'♡ ♡'･ᴗ･'♡

The cranberry iced tea was far better than Frank remembered. It wasn't that it had been made better or anything, it was just that his tastebuds had acquired a larger liking for it.

So, there Frank was, on his third cup of the hour and watching Gerard close up the shop. 

“So, did you ever get with Bert?” He asked loudly, catching the older man off guard.

”God no!” He yelped, his mouth going theatrically agape as he hunched away and continued his business by removing himself from the situation.

“That sounded a lot like a dramatic _‘no’_ because the answer is _‘yes’._ ”

“Fine! I did get with Bert for a little moment when I was 19.”

“I fucking knew you would! He was crushing on you so hard!” Frank cheered, puffing his chest out with pride since he was right all along. 

”You were so jealous of him.” Gerard giggled, finally flipping the sign on the door so it said ‘closed’.

”I was more than jealous, I was furious with him sometimes. He always badmouthed me to flirt with you. And he had more of a chance, since you were friends.” Frank grumbled, feeling the agitation from situations he was in as a young boy for a moment, before it eased off. “But then you always stood up for me n’ called me ‘cutie’ or ‘sweetheart’, and it inflated my ego by 20 times.”

“Bert and I didn’t flirt, really, it wasn’t a romantic thing. We were both just bored, hormonal and lonely.” The pale man shrugged, making another two drinks for the both of them. 

“So you slept with him? And you _don’t_ have chlamydia?” Frank said in disbelief, a small laugh coming out, although he was serious. 

”Trust me, I made sure we used a condom. And I made sure I got tested straight after. I was clean, thankfully.” Gerard replied with a scrunched up expression, shivering after a long moment of thinking, which made Frank cringe at the thought, too.”

The two of them then met eyes à across the shop and Gerard began to laugh almost uncontrollably, and the tattooed young man was captivated with unintentional hearts in his eyes.

In his own professional opinion, Gerard hadn't changed at all in the many years. Sure, his face was _a lot_ slimmer, his hair was shorter and the bags under his eyes could tell 1,000 stories... but he had barely aged a day. His complexion was pale and unblemished, as if he had been airbrushed for the cover of a magazine and his hair was shiny and thick... and curling out at the ends cutely. Something Frank had never seen before, since Gerard's hair used to be long and straight. But Gerard could do anything to his hair and it would look good— it was his blessing.

"I'll take it you're still into the kiddie drinks?" The older man then teased after wiping his humouring tears and calming down, grasping a cappuccino close to his thin chest and sitting down across from Frank, just where they had sat fourteen years before.

"Just 'cus it's sugary doesn't mean it's for kids." He retorted, showing off his tattooed middle finger grouchily.

"It's literally from the kids section but whatever." Gerard sighed softly, propping his elbows up on the table. "But anyway, how've you been? You look amazing, Frankie." He urged with a bright smile, clearly very eager to catch up with the younger man.

"I could say the same about you! You look gorgeous. Like... you're glowing. It's radiating off your skin like a summer gleam."

"Me? _No_... I passed my prime, I've been going downhill since I hit 23. And I promise I’m not pregnant."

"Wow. Getting past 25 changed you." Frank commented with a sarky smile, receiving a brief middle finger.

"Wrong. Hitting _30_ was the one that fucked me up. Everything was cool before that." Gerard muttered glumly, hesitantly letting his eyes meet Frank for another moment, this time without laughing, "and stop being a romantic asshole for one minute— jeez. Who brought you up like that?"

"Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing."

"I mean... I definitely see why that's a valid answer but really. Who taught you? I've never seen a kid be as sweet as you." He asked seriously, leaning forward on the red desk a little.

"My mom and dad, I guess. They were always crazy on each other and I just grew up watching my dad give flowers for random reasons and just treat my mom like a Princess. It resonated with me and my dad always made sure that I'd never be a heartbreaker." Frank explained in a small voice, twirling his straw around in the red juice, watching it glimmer back at him in the dim, orange lighting.

"Makes sense, your parents were always so lovely... even if I only met your dad a handful of times." Gerard commented with a soft nod, smiling gently, "they're idyllic parents."

"Y'know, they loved that I was crazy about you." The tattooed man giggled back, seeing his friend's eyes twinkle in shock— a striking resemblance to the Prussian blue moonlight that glistened against the window.

"Really?"

"Yeah... they said it made them happy because even as a kid I could tell who had the most beautiful souls. They praised that I could see how lovely you were from the first minutes of meeting you." He practically whispered, not even sure if the older man picked up on his explanation, but the blush on his bowed face indicated he had.

"Shit... well, that’s cool, d-do you want another drink?" Gerard bumbled out, clearly trying to change the subject since he had only been sitting for merely 5 minutes and was seemingly very flustered, which disheartened Frank ever so slightly. Was he too honest and intense?

"Uhm," Frank coughed, making sure his voice came out neutral, "yes, please, a black coffee sounds good. It's getting cold."

"You don't have to tell me twice, I came here in a button up with no coat or jumper. I'm living in a camper-van right now and everything's dirty." Gerard groaned with a small, humourless laugh, tensing his thin arms around his slim body, the goosebumps hitting the lights under the rolled sleeves and emphasising them. 

In that moment, the entire atmosphere shifted into a thick, apprehensive smog that Frank desperately wanted to cough out of his lungs before he suffocated. Before they both suffocated in it.

"Shit- really? How come?"

"All my money went into this shithole cus it's all I've ever known. I don't even have money to go to a laundrette right now. It's not been my year so far." He shrugged again, looking out at the dark street with the occasional cars going by. "It's never my year."

"Well, it's only February so hopefully that'll change. But in the meantime, have this." Frank reassured, pulling off his oversized, cream cardigan and tossing it across the table to the pale man, to wrapped it around himself gratefully.

Gerard may have been few inches taller than him, but the cardigan drowned him just as much as it did to Frank. It was then he realised just how much weight the coffee boy had lost in the years, making Frank feel a little off.

"... Is the lack of money the reason you've ended up so skinny?" The tattooed man asked in the most gentle, nervous voice he had used in his whole life, looking to where Gerard was working at the counter, his back turned.

"Well... it was a mixture of everything going on in my life, but the lack of money probably played a part. I was skinnier, actually. This is me gaining weight again." He sighed, "you noticed? Is it that bad?" He whimpered from being the counter, turning round to meet Frank was desperate eyes.

"It's hard not to notice, to be honest. You've lost like 4 jeans sizes since I last saw you." He sighed tensely, shifting where he sat because Frank had no idea how to approach the situation. How should he sit? How should he act? "and it's not that you look bad, you look gorgeous no matter what you do. But that doesn't mean I should stop being concerned."

"I know. Thanks for caring. Really." Gerard said in the smallest voice he'd heard all night, so small Frank barely picked up that he talked at all.

"How much shit have you been keeping in the dark?"

"I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown, I'm broke and I got told that I have problems with receiving affection." The pale man snapped, yet not once sounding hostile or making Frank offended. "I'm in a rut and I have no idea where to go from here."

"I say you sell this place and keep the money. Drive into the sunset in your van and be carefree... not everyone gets that opportunity." Frank suggested in a quiet voice, matching the mood as he looked to his boot-clad feet. 

"What? Like just up and _leave_? I don't think I could..."

"This place doesn't make you happy, G." He sighed, finally deciding to walk slowly towards Gerard, who had put his head back down to the coffee with reluctant eyes.

"Yeah. I know. I'm miserable here." Gerard confirmed, his voice tightening and his throat clearly closing up. He seemed so much more vulnerable than when Frank last saw him.

"I say you get a phone, call tomorrow and clear out by the end of the month, and that gives the employees a month notice to find another job." Frank reasoned, standing close beside Gerard as he leaned against the counter, their shoulders touching, radiating comfort. "And you can give them their final wage with the money after you've sold the place."

"I've never really thought about it that way... maybe I will." The taller man mumbled thoughtfully, finally raising his head when his hand was grabbed by a tattooed one, opening his palm and putting $20 down.

"And have this to start you off. For the coffee. For the laundrette and a stock up for some foods or gas, if there's change. For _you_ , not the shop."

"You're way too good to be human, Frankie." He said, although it came out more as a sensitive mewl due to the shock of having money handed to him.

"My... my dad always told me to treat those you've loved with the utmost respect, kindness and admiration." Frank replied, subconsciously matching Gerard's feeble tone.

Gerard then froze in his tracks, putting down the kettle and looking up with wide, emotional eyes.

"You... you _loved_ me?" He asked, barely being able to get it out without his thin lips quivering childishly.

Somehow, the older Frank got, the younger Gerard's personality seemed. It was like they were parallel, in the most poetic way possible. Like the sun and the moon.

"I've always loved you in some form or a another. You're the most beautiful person I've met in my whole life, inside and out. Even if you're a little more complexed now." Frank smiled lightly, looking over his shoulder to look fully at Gerard.

"Let's get outta here together."

" _What?_ "

"We both hate it here. We're both lonely with no luck anything here. And we have such a connection that it'll be beautiful no matter where we go." The pale man explained, although it could easily come off as nothing but a nervous, ill-prepared ramble. "Will you come with me when I leave?"

There was then a deadly silence within the void of the lowly-lit café, all that could be heard was the faint sound of cars whirring outside and the frantic rattling of Gerard's breathing.

"I've never wanted to be anywhere except by your side." Frank admitted, averting his whole gaze onto Gerard, seeing him shift his body away from the coffee counter to do the same.

"Yes! So are you gonna give your landlord their notice? Will a month even be even be enough notice?" He asked in an upbeat tone, first one in a while, a huge smile painted onto Gerard's pink lips as he wracked his brain for what he had to do before he left.

But he was stuck on the spot, looking Frank dead in the eye like they were both in a trance with one another.

"Really spontaneous here, but can I ask one question?"

"Fire away, Frankie. Spontaneous is what we're going for."

"Can I finally get that kiss I've waited 14 years for?" He asked gently, a hint of hopefulness in his neutral tone, although his heart was ringing as hard as a mallet off of a frying pan.

Frank then oh-so slowly snaked his tattooed arm around the other side of Gerard like an untamed animal, so that the older man had his back pressed against the white marble worktop. He took an anxious, white-knuckled grip of the counter with one hand and used to the other to hesitantly brush the strands of black hair from Gerard's eyes and mouth. Always waiting for a 'no' that never came from his bashful expression, but Frank never received one. So, after a long moment of waiting, he then took his calloused, olive hand and stroked at his childhood's crush's porcelain cheek, practically ghosting it, as Frank smiled a small, nervous smile as he watched Gerard leaning into the empty air between them. He watched Gerard bend down slightly as his eyes fluttered shut, although never making the last move, since he kept stopping every few moments to see if Frank did it, as if he couldn't bring himself to make the last move. It made a gentle heat bubble in the lining Frank's stomach... but not a sexual sensation... more like a feeling of longing, the anticipation of waiting for their lips to touch and for the lightening bolt of euphoria after all the years of waiting.

And before he even knew what was coming out his stupid, hopeless mouth, he had already bumbled a small, weighty, "I... I love you."

"I know you do, Frankie." Gerard replied almost instinctively, his soft, hearty giggle floating around in the younger man's head like a bumblebee hive at a newly sprouted flower garden. "So are you gonna take your kiss or what?" 

Frank didn't even take a moment to respond as he put both his arms tightly at the taller man's hips, grabbing the counter with sweaty palms, before ramming his face forward for his lips to attach to Gerard's soft and warm mouth. His knees wobbled from where leaned on his tip-toes, but Gerard kept him steady(ish) with his arms tightly grasping Frank's neck... despite the drips of sweat that were probably trickling down.

The pale man began kiss feverishly as the moments passed, gaining confidence in his actions and subconsciously encouraging Frank to do the same. His breathing was fast and his kisses were long and deep, practically winding Frank when he desperately to try match his rhythm, but every time Gerard's tongue flicked off of his bottom lip, he couldn't help but shiver. He couldn't bring himself to ask Gerard to hold back a little. The last thing Frank wanted to do was act too childish, the last thing Frank wanted was for Gerard to still perceive him as a little boy with a daft crush on him.

What the older man mashed in, however, was the posture to stand as he kissed. He was constantly shifting on his feet, and tripping in the process and had zero idea of how to hold another person, he was stiff and hesitant in every rigid move his arms made. That, however, is what Frank was particularly good at.

Frank then brought one of his arms from the counter and placed his palm flat against the back of Gerard's cardigan (that wasn't actually his), curving his back so their chests pressed together lightly, sending shockwaves straight to the young man's lungs. It gave Gerard the jumpstart to wrap his arms fully around Frank's head, keeping him as close as Frank kept him.

A small moan then ruptured from Gerard's mouth, through the kiss, although most likely accidental and subconscious. Yet it still festered into Frank's mind in ways that made him want to do things that would motivate the noise again... but he couldn't ruin the perfect moment. He would never forgive himself if he destroyed their heartfelt moment over lust.

So, Frank then decided to reluctantly pull back with a _'pop'_ and the room fell silent once again, nothing but the sound of their heaving chests and no more zooming cars. He heard a small gulp emit from Gerard's throat as he notice one of his tattooed hands desperately roaming the older man's side and hip, still trying to keep as close to him as possible. 

"W-wow." The tattooed man let out, looking up to see Gerard,

"Yeah..." he replied breathily, seeming in complete shock with large eyes and a slightly ajar mouth.

There was another moment when Frank felt his whole body flutter as the taller man's body finally loosened up a little, the tensity in his arms and shoulders melting away as he leaned into the gentle touches of his friend's tattooed hands.

"I'm not gonna lie, though. I have a part time job I need to get to." Gerard then piped up solemnly, looking at the clock in disgust. "I've gotta get a substantial amount of food on my plate somehow."

"Yes, you do. Can't have you starving to death before we even get a chance to live." Frank smiled back, moving off of the older man's body and writing on a piece of paper using his eyeliner pencil.

"When you're ready, feel free to come by and get me." He said, pushing the piece of paper against Gerard's chest lightly.

What he didn't expect, however, was for Gerard to put his hand over the tattooed one, keeping the younger man where he was.

"Thank you, Happy Valentine's Day, Frankie." He said gently, leaning in for another brief kiss, which Frank gave into eagerly, letting Gerard nip at his lip piercing with his teeth for a moment before pulling back.

"Happy Valentine's, G. I don't think I ever told you before, despite how many times I rehearsed it." He admitted shyly, placing his hands back on Gerard's hips, scrunching the cream cardigan in his fists.

"As a kid or now?"

"Both."

"You're such a hopelessly romantic idiot." Gerard laughed heartily, tucking his face into Frank's faux hawk and breathing in the scent of him. "But really, I should get going."

"That's cool- _shit_." Frank hissed, seeing the lights of a large vehicle outside, knowing it was the bus he had to catch. The one that only came every hour. "That's my bus. I've gotta go. Bye, G." He hurried out, taking his arms from Gerard's body sharply (to much dismay).

He then quickly pressed a passionate kiss to the older man's pale cheek and sprinted out the door, with Gerard still leaning against the counter trying to process the last 30 seconds of their time together.

This time, however, Frank didn't have time to peek back after running out of the shop... but this time he left knowing that he would see Gerard again, and they would be happy together, driving into the sunset. Off the grid and carefree.

It didn't matter that it took 14 years, 12 (unintentionally) lonesome Valentine's and the entirety of his teenage years yearning, Frank finally had Gerard and that was all his childishly romantic mind could think about. 


End file.
